Island Sights

Galiano Island is an incredibly beautiful and naturally rugged island. With the best beaches of the Gulf Islands, massive tracts of spectacular forests, sandstone rock formations on the coast, there are many beautiful areas to view the natural beauty of the island, and the wildlife that makes this island home.

A Vacation Paradise in all Seasons...

A destination for lovers of the outdoors, Galiano is wonderful at any time of year:

*Spring brings light and colour and the first signs of life, especially migrating birdlife. Bird-watching enthusiasts and naturalists will find something unique and special in every park and on every hike, with over 130 species of birdlife alone.

The island is alive with Spring colours: acres of wildflowers on Mount Galiano, brilliant rich spring blooms on the beachside pathways. And new life abounds with young fawns in the forest lands, young eagles in aeries in Bellhouse Park, baby otters playing on the beach in front
of your guest suite.

    *Summer’s arrival makes the enjoyment of the island all the better, with acres of wildflowers in the parks, long hot days and brisk ocean waters for swimming. With Galiano's Mediterranean-like climate, plants and birds and other wildlife thrive here as they do nowhere else in Canada.

There are many discoveries to be made: rare and            protected plants and tidal marine life. Discover the magic of kayaking on a warm summer evening, with the sun f
setting on the ocean and bathing Mount Baker in gold.

*Autumn on Galiano is a delight, alive with colour, light, and migrating birdlife. There are crisp, clear days with breathtaking views and panoramas.

Walking along country roads and hidden trails, you can experience the rich abundance of Oregon grapes, salal berries, salmon berries, and of course, our famous blackberries.

Snow geese migrating in their thousands. Warm evenings.
Quiet trails and beaches that are all your own.

    *Winter on Galiano Island is the mildest in Canada, perfect for getting fishing and diving conditions that are clean, clear, and among the best in the world.

Kayaking, canoeing, sailing, hiking and boating are          year-round pastimes. And golf, too, is enjoyed year-round.

And of course with our beautiful rooms, real wood-burning     fireplaces, room service, Madrona massage table....your     retreat is complete.

Galiano Island's many parks beckon.....

Bellhouse Park is just 1 km from the Galiano Oceanfront Inn and Spa and offers a beautiful short hike. The park features unique rock formations, excellent picnic spots quite literally “on” the Strait of Georgia, with views of passing boats. You may spot eagles nesting in the trees of the park.

Montague Harbour is just 8 km from the Inn. Home to a 3000 year old Indian midden, its lovely shell beach gives evidence to the many years that Coast Salish people made this a regular home site. Here they enjoyed the abundance of salmon in the waters surrounding Galiano, the rich harvest of oysters, clams and mussels. Now you can enjoy the white shell beaches, beautiful sunsets, tidal pools, surrounding forest and open meadows, as well as the abundant bird life in this 97 hectare forested park.

Dionisio Point is a rugged natural park at the north end of the island with beautiful beaches that the local islanders call Coon Bay. Here you will find a unique shoreline with artistically sculpted sandstone formations, a sand beach for swimming, tidal pools, and colourful wildflowers and forests that fill this beautiful provincial park.

Mount Galiano is Galiano’s highest point of land…a hike to the top will provide the intrepid hiker with rewarding views over the Gulf Islands, the U.S. San Juan Islands and the distant mainland mountains. The hike is a steady elevated climb, about 50 minutes. You will hike through a rich forest, with the canopy of trees shading you from the sun until you emerge at the summit. At 341 meters, it is Galiano's highest point of land, with views of all of the Gulf Islands: Mayne, North and South Pender, Saturna, Salt Spring, and more.

Bluffs Park is only 4 km from the Inn and one of Galiano’s most rewarding, yet easiest hikes, with options of an easy drive to the top, challenging hikes to the shores, or casual walks to spectacular viewpoints. At the Bluffs viewpont, you will have a beautiful view of Active Pass, at 180 meters high. Watch eagles soar overhead and ferry traffic pass far below you, with views of the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula beyond. Share the trails with deer and their young fawns. The park is over 130 hectares of towering cedars, gary oak and douglas fir.

Bodega Ridge Provincial Park consists of a dramatic ridge rising several hundred metres above sea level, with spectacular views over Trincomali Channel and many of the Gulf Islands' hundreds of islands and islets and beyond to the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula. High cliffs are home to raptors like peregrine falcons and bald eagles, as well as trees like towering cedars and Douglas fir, beautiful red-barked arbutus, and lush salal. One of the “must do” hikes on Galiano. It is just 25 minutes by car from the Inn, along meandering country roads, and a 30 minute hike to the top.

Pebble Beach and Cable Bay are, like many places on Galiano, ‘naturally hidden’ and difficult to find, but like all of them…definitely worth the search. With a beautiful pebble beach, rich forests, beaver ponds and trails, and views to the mainland, it is another of Galiano’s hidden gems.

Lovers’ Leap, Vineyard Way, Retreat Cove, Spanish Hills, Morning Beach…there are so many more places to discover on your own.